Smart card with volatile memory file subsystem

An integrated circuit (IC) module comprising:

• a processor;
• nonvolatile memory and volatile memory operatively coupled to the processor;
• and
• a set of common functions that enable one or more applications on the IC module and one or more applications located outside the IC module to directly access one or more data files stored in the volatile memory and in the nonvolatile memory, wherein at least one function defined in the set of common functions includes a parameter identifying whether an associated data file is stored in the nonvolatile memory or the volatile memory.

A method for operating an integrated circuit module, comprising:

• enabling an application to access files stored in volatile memory, nonvolatile read/write memory and nonvolatile read only memory, the volatile memory, the nonvolatile read/write memory and the nonvolatile read only memory being implemented as part of an integrated circuit module, wherein the enabling comprises exposing a common set of application program interfaces (APIs) that enable the application on the IC module and one or more applications located outside the IC module to directly access the files stored in the volatile memory, the nonvolatile read/write memory and the nonvolatile read only memory;
• maintaining a persistent directory in the integrated circuit module that specifies memory regions in which the files are stored;
• and
• identifying, by way of the persistent directory, whether a file is stored in the volatile memory, the nonvolatile read/write, or the nonvolatile read only memory.